• About The Gatherings ~ Antiques News

    Collecting antiques and collectibles is a way of life for most of us that are involved in some way, shape or form in this business. As a collector there is that feeling of euphoria we experience adding that elusive piece to a collection. Although I have varied antique interest my love and affection is with antique and vintage textiles.
    • February 2012
    M T W T F S S
    « Jan    
     12345
    6789101112
    13141516171819
    20212223242526
    272829  

    Yesteryear Toys ~ Fab Mohair Straw Stuffed Dressed Cat

    Posted By on January 28, 2012

    Mohair Straw Stuffed 1930 Black Cat Toy

    A fantastic toy from a childhood past and what child wouldn’t have loved to play with this stuffed cat!

    This delightful chilldhood animal stand 22″ tall to the tip of the ear.  The cat’s head, arms, tail and body are a mohair.  The coverings of the legs are of a heavy weight cotton fabric with the shoes a black fabric.  This feline is wearing a velveteen suit that closes with straight pins along the back opening.  The double ruffled collar is separate from the suit and is also pinned at the back of the neck.

    Embroidered nose and mouth.  Hair like whiskers are missing from one side of his face.  Eyes are of plastic that seem to have a prong to insert into eye socket.  I did not remove to examine.

    Dating this cat about 1930′s.

    Tall 1930 Mohair Black Cat Straw Stuffed Body

    Simply a marvelous plaything from a childhood long ago.  See complete details here

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

    The Gatherings Antique Vintage ~ your source for quality Victorian, Edwardian, Civil War, Flapper, 1930s, 1940s and 1950s vintage and antique table and bed linens, sewing and quilting supplies, children’s and women’s clothing!

    Category: Antique Children's Toys | Comments Off
    Tags:

    The Victorian Valentine ~ A Confection Of Romance

    Posted By on January 25, 2012

    Romantic Victorian Valentine And Embossed Envelope

    The Victorian era produced some of the most beautiful paper Valentine cards.  Romantic sentiments on lacey embossed papers embellished with scraps of even more romantic symbols.  All with a softness of color.  Truly, many are small works of art. 

     
    The Valentine in the above photo was  found in its original mailing envelope.  Equally as pretty, the envelope is almost entirely covered with an embossed design, leaving only enough plain paper in the center for the address.
     
    February 14th is Valentine’s Day ~ remember the special people in your life.
     
    The Gatherings Antique Vintage ~ your source for quality Victorian, Edwardian, Civil War, Flapper, 1930s, 1940s and 1950s vintage and antique table and bed linens, sewing and quilting supplies, children’s and women’s clothing!
     
     
     
     

    Category: Antique Vintage Victorian Ephemera, Vintage Papers and Postcards | Comments Off
    Tags:

    The Gatherings Antique Vintage ~ A Little Redecorating

    Posted By on January 23, 2012

    There always seems to come a time to do a little redecorating, updating and so forth to web sites, stores, blogs etc.  So this past few weeks The Gatherings has gotten a bit of a make-over on my Ebay store.   You might want to take a look  now .  I love the fresh new look!  So want to give my web designer a shout out to say another job well done!   

    My Website Designer

     

    Needing an web site or an Ebay store design? Possibly a custom template? I can certainly give a first hand recommendation for Maureen McCullough LLC for an excellent job well done. Along with designing my web site and blog she just finished the customization of my Ebay About Me page.

    Here is a list of items Maureen McCullough LLC can do for you. eBay store design, SEO, marketing, promotion, custom listing templates, e-commerce website design, blogs ~ forums ~ banners ~ logos ~ design, complete customization, branding. Freelance website and blog content. All work is completely customized to transparently promote your branding and products.

    Category: Uncategorized | Comments Off
    Tags:

    19th Century Ready Made Tape Laces ~ The Art Of Making Tape Lace

    Posted By on January 22, 2012

    The invention of machine ready made tape laces made the art of making lace far easier than the process of making lace by hand.  These tape laces were abundantly used during the last part of the 19th century into the 20th century for doilies and other types of household linens as well as embellishments for clothing. 

    A very popular lace employing the ready made braid was Battenburg.   The pattern could be either stenciled or hand drawn on cloth in a lovely design.   The ready made tape was then basted to the cloth in the outline of the pattern.  Each of the tapes were joined with filling stitches by hand.   Upon completion of the entire piece, the basting stitches were removed, separating the fabric from the now finished piece of  lace. 

    Late Victorian Battenburg Tape Lace Doily

    The above example of a Battenburg doily shows how the ready made tape was used to make this interesting piece.    Joining the tape are filler threads also of interesting patterns.

     

    Ready Made Tape Lace Braid

    Although there are many different types of machine made tape laces, this is an example of just one style.  This braid was found on the original card still with a partial paper label.  The card dates  from the late Victorian or early 1900′s.
     

    1900 Frank Needlework Catalog

     
    This is an interesting page from a 1900′s page of Frank’s Needlework Catalog showing many different styles of  ready made tapes available.  Any could be purchases to make a variety of tape lace projects.
     

    Category: Antique Vintage Laces Trims | Comments Off
    Tags:

    Those Fabulous 1950′s! A Satin Corset Bag For Hosiery!

    Posted By on January 17, 2012

    Vintage 1940 1950 Black Satin Hosiery Lingerie Corset Shape Bag

    Here’s a cute hosiery bag ….and so ~ so ~ vintage!

    Dating from the late 1940′s or 1950′s the bag is made of black satin fabric.  The bust line and leg openings are accented with pink lace that is pleated.  Plastic garters are attached to give the bag and even more “fun” flare.  Bag can easily be hung anywhere with by its own metal hanger.  Opening for storing hosiery or other personal items is just above the lace at the bust line.

    Size of the bag is 15″ long, not including the hanger which measures 3-1/2″.  Width at the top edge of bag is 8″ across.

     Need a gift?   Here’s a fun thing for a special person.

    Category: Antique Vintage Victorian 1940's Lingerie, Vintage Victorian Vanity Dresser Boudoir | Comments Off
    Tags:

    Two Purses ~ Two Different Eras ~ Two Distinct Styles

    Posted By on January 16, 2012

    I recently had the privilege of attending an estate sale at a home filled with quality antiques, vintage as well as  not-to-old but attractive household goods.  The sale was held in a larger home so was well arrange to give the best vantage point to the furniture, dishware, linens and small items ~ clean and well displayed.

    Upon entering a home, I usually circulate quickly to the bedrooms, as in most cases, there I will find the items I am most interested in….the linens, clothing and related items, fabrics and sewing.   It didn’t take long to spy a couple of handbags I found interesting and just had to have!   A few minutes more,  found other special items I was delighted to purchase.  So at the end of the search, I gathered up my wares and smiled all the way home.

    At home it was fun to unpack the newly found treasures to study more closely what I had purchased.   Although the purses were from the same household they were definitely from two different generations  and very distinct from each other.  It certainly gave me to think how fashion changes in relatively a short time.

    The first purse is stamped on the inside below one of the pockets for holding the mirror with the name Grande Maison de Blanc, N.Y. .  I believe the location in New York was on 5th Ave.  The paisley purse dates from the teens – 1920′s era and is monogram on the suede hinge CED.  The handle is of a heavy cord with an attractive knotted embellishment in the center.  Lined in a beautiful water marked faille.

    Edwardian Paisley Purse

     

       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

    The Gatherings Antique Vintage ~ your source for quality Victorian, Edwardian, Civil War, Flapper, 1930s, 1940s and 1950s vintage and antique table and bed linens, sewing and quilting supplies, children’s and women’s clothing!

    Category: Antique Vintage Women's Fashions, Uncategorized, Vintage Victorian 1940s Adult Clothing Apparel | Comments Off
    Tags:

    Next Page »